Selfless
by jazziisms
Summary: Tikal had always been selfless. It was one of her many contributing factors, along with her kindness, and protectiveness of the people she loved. But she's never had her kindness tested before. Oneshot. Shadikal!


**These two just give me muse okay BLAME THEM ;3**

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Tikal had always been selfless. It was one of her many contributing factors, along with her kindness, and protectiveness of the people she loved. But she's never had her kindness _tested_ before. The first time she sacrificed herself for the sake of her people and the world, she was motivated by her determination to do what was right. The right thing was clear.

Now? She wasn't so sure.

The echidna stood there motionless, watching her friends get closer and closer to defeat. She could _feel_ it. Why hasn't anyone done something? Why didn't Sonic and Shadow go super? Did they not have enough chaos emeralds?

Tikal felt her pocket dip down with a sudden weight and she dipped her hand inside, withdrawing a light blue chaos emerald from it. How did it get here?

_Of course..._she realized, fingers wrapping around the emerald like a soft glove. Her gaze slowly drifted up to the scene before her, watching as punches and kicks became slurred and lazy, bodies knocked down to the ground more and more. She couldn't...she couldn't just _stand_ here!

But...but could she do it? Abandon everything she's taught and promised herself to keep it, no matter what?

_If I just stand here, Dr. Eggman will win. If I just stand here...my friends..._Her eyes pooled over with tears as her gaze landed on Shadow, who, as fierce and roughened up he looked, wasn't going to last much longer unless he took off his inhibitor rings. _Shadow...If something ever happened to you because I wasn't able to protect you...I-I won't be able to forgive myself!_

_What...what is this? _She felt power surging through her veins just by holding the emerald, the very gem lighting up just a bit brighter at her acknowledgement. _Is...Is this...adrenaline rush? Or something else? It feels...kind of...wow_.

_I've experienced chaos power before but...but not like this. I harness the power of the Master Emerald...Does this mean...?_

She looked up in alarm at the sound of Shadow's muted cry of pain, her eyes wide and shining with new, unshed tears. Shadow was possibly the strongest person she knew. But to see him _unravel_?

_I have to do something!_

And with that thought, she ran for the edge of the hill and jumped.

Her world came down to slow motion. She was airborne, her friends pausing in their fighting to look up at her in shock. Crystal blue eyes met burning red and she raised her emerald hand high. _Please work...please work!_

"Chaos..."

Shadow's eyes widened.

_"CONTROL!"_

Time came to a standstill. Tikal realized she had a decision to make before she landed face-first in the dirt. The peach mobian took in a deep breath and readied herself before she landed on the first robot, kicking off its head to get closer to Shadow and her friends. Running across the tops of the eggbots had her there in seconds, flipping off the last one before landing on her feet surprisingly smoothly. She wrapped her arm around Shadow's waist, supporting him up.

"Tikal-" he started, narrowing his eyes.

"Fall back!" Tikal exclaimed, raising her emerald once more to create a portal. Amy met her gaze and grabbed a red emerald from seemingly nowhere, holding it up in the air as well, despite her fatigue from battle.

"Chaos..._CONTROL!"_ the two girls said together.

.

Tikal opened her eyes, blinking twice. What...what happened? Where was she? Slender fingers subtly explored the soft surface of a bed, one that certainly wasn't hers; she wasn't at her home but at...who's?

"You could've gotten killed, you know that?"

Her head lolled to the left, blue eyes shot open. "Shadow..." She was at his place? How? She couldn't remember...

"What I don't understand..." He leaned off the wall, walking over to her bedside with his arms folded across his chest, "is how you, someone who can't fight, who's deadset _against_ it, risked that to save us. Yet..." he sat down next to her legs, letting his arms fall to his sides, "as soon as we teleported to safety, you_ fainted_."

"I did?"

"You did." His narrowed orbs considerably softened, leaning back so he was settled next to her, head propped up against the headboard of the bed. "Tikal, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking...that I couldn't let you or anyone else die..." she murmured, gaze downcast.

Shadow stared at her for a long, measured beat before he laid down, gaze flitting to the ceiling. "No one was going to die. But it was wise of you to signal a retreat."

"Does this mean we lost?"

"No. And I know I'm not the only one with some fight in me left."

Tikal studied him. How much time had passed? It felt like it was still nighttime, but his injuries from hours prior looked like they had vanished entirely, or appeared weeks old. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Don't worry about that. I heal fast."

Of course he didn't want her to worry, even if he was in a lot of pain. But since he seemed alright, she'll drop the subject for now. She timidly reached for his hand instead, brushing her fingertips against his knuckles for silent permission. He had yet to look at her since he started staring at the ceiling, but his fingers curled inwards towards hers, and she intertwined their limbs together in relief.

"Shadow?"

"Hmph."

"I'm not saying that I want to fight anyone, but...do you think you could...teach me?"

_This_ caught his undivided attention. "Teach you?"

She nodded. "I believe I can defend myself without hurting anyone...that is if I learn from the best teacher."

He snorted. "You don't know what you're asking."

"I think I do. Shadow," her other hand grasped his, "I want _you_ to teach me."

Shadow hesitated, searching for any sign of doubt or fear in her eyes, her body language. Finding none, he sighed and nodded curtly. "Fine."

Tikal beamed for the first time that night, throwing her arms around him in enthusiasm. "Thank you! Oh thank you so much!" Her momentum brought her on top of him, and once she realized this she started blushing. Was she invading personal boundaries?

Shadow chuckled in her ear, arms slipping around her to keep her there. "Just promise me something."

"Anything," she sighed against his chest fur.

He rubbed her arms and she looked up at him with his coaxing, smirking down at her. "_Never_ try to save my life again."

Tikal giggled.


End file.
